Fender Japan 2010 Catalogue Link

singemonkey

Thought I'd repost this from the Tokai forum for all you Fenderphiles.

I really like Fender Japan stuff because it's all the reissues + some cool and zany models like a walnut Jazz bass. Dig the bigsby Teles and the Tele special with the humbucker too. If I ever end up buying a Fender, I suspect it'll be a Japanese one.

Just a pity you have to go to Japan or have them shipped yourself (thereby making them almost as expensive as Fender USA models - especially since you'll want a hard-case for safety in transit) if you want to buy one:

http://s183.photobucket.com/albums/x153/stratman323/Fender%20Japan%202010%20catalogue/?start=0

Please note the variety in body woods folks. Some people here were recently of the opinion that all MIJ Fenders were made of basswood. Only the lower end models are basswood as a rule (thus often the ones we encounter in SA). You'll see almost every variety of body woods used - although they're typically not one piece bods like Fender USA, except for the signature models.

dee

O wow, they even have a Signature series based on the character from the anime "Beck". How cool is that ?

MikeM

dee wrote O wow, they even have a Signature series based on the character from the anime "Beck". How cool is that ?

That is really cool!!

nussey

just for interests sake, how much do you guys figure it'd be to get one shipped here to SA? ie the shipping, taxes etc... ?

singemonkey

Quite pricey. Also you have to find a store that will ship internationally and is prepared to deal with English language speakers through google translate (very few Japanese speak anything close to decent English - although a lot more than South Africans who speak decent Japanese).

I'd say it's generally speaking only really worth it if you're buying a more expensive instrument - like a vintage Gibson or a custom shop Stratocaster - that is expensive enough that the shipping still only represents a small proportion of the total cost.

Obviously buying a standard MIJ strat for like, 45,000 Yen retail (about R4,300), the shipping will probably be another grand at least, not really worth it. Then you really ought to buy a hard case with it if you expect it to arrive in one piece.

Their top-o-the line guitars, like a '57 Alder bodied Strat with Texas Special pickups might be better bang-for-buck. But it really big savings will probably come from buying used stuff for the Japanese shops that are stuffed to bursting with them.

Easiest is just to go there on holiday and bring one home ?

nussey

hah thanks for the reply. you see thats the thing, i was looking at getting a strat, and also i'm planning on going to japan to visit a friend pretty soon, so um well whats that thing they say about two birds one stone ? but anyway i was under the impression that if i bought one to play in the time that i was there and obviously to bring back and play, i would still have to ship it home? even locally i've had some trouble transporting musical instruments ???

guitarboy2828

I spoke to my bro who is living in Japan and he said shipping will be so much don't even bother thinking about it. So, unless you go over there, it's not worth it at all he reckons! But then he doesn't play guitar, he doesn't understand GAS! ?

kayDUB

Major drool! Tele with a bigsby is on my list for one day. One thing at a time, strat, here I come!!!!

I'll be in the UK later this year, thinking about paying this guy a visit...
http://www.fareastguitars.co.uk/usedguitars.htm

Nice '57 re-issue; what you think? 560 pounds without a hardcase.

Tokai-SA

singemonkey wrote Quite pricey. Also you have to find a store that will ship internationally and is prepared to deal with English language speakers through google translate (very few Japanese speak anything close to decent English - although a lot more than South Africans who speak decent Japanese).

I'd say it's generally speaking only really worth it if you're buying a more expensive instrument - like a vintage Gibson or a custom shop Stratocaster - that is expensive enough that the shipping still only represents a small proportion of the total cost.

Obviously buying a standard MIJ strat for like, 45,000 Yen retail (about R4,300), the shipping will probably be another grand at least, not really worth it. Then you really ought to buy a hard case with it if you expect it to arrive in one piece.

Their top-o-the line guitars, like a '57 Alder bodied Strat with Texas Special pickups might be better bang-for-buck. But it really big savings will probably come from buying used stuff for the Japanese shops that are stuffed to bursting with them.

Easiest is just to go there on holiday and bring one home ?

I've bought a few Fender Japan Strats before, shipped to SA using EMS Japan in boxes...all arrived safely.
Shipping will cost $250, plus 14% VAT.

However, those were the days before Fender USA stopped online Japanese stores from exporting/selling new Fender Japan guitars...Fender USA does not want these guitars leaving Japan. ?

singemonkey

Yeah. I thought there were problems exporting the new ones, from what Alan said. Still, plenty of used ones going. And if you actually go over there and take it home on the plane, it's not an issue I'm sure.

Rudolf

There's always a way. Seriously if you want something from Japan, you can get it and from my experience the price is always right! You just need to find someone that speaks reasonable english which is connected to bypass the whole 'fender not leaving japan nonsense'. Hehehe. They can not stop someone buying a strat for you and shipping it themselves out this way. Either way I highly doubt you'll convince a shop guy there to not ship to someone waving cash, that is not how I know Japanese folk.